Extensible screen



i Patented Aug, 5, l9Z4 T D yST E BENJAMIN KUGLER,

j Y Y, 1,503,533 PATENT OFFICE.v

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOISc i e EXTENsIBLn SCREEN.

i means for completely, and at all times, ob-

structing the view through a door way, or the like; and more particularly my ,inven-v tion contemplates the pro-visionof an adjustable -frame which may be utilized to l limit the movement of the closure.

One of the principal'adv'antages of my invention may be recognized by its application upon the Vdoors of hospital rooms or wards, hotel guest rooms, entrances to prif vate apartments opening upon a ypublic corridor, andthe like, where expediency directs that the door` or other closure be opened without exposing the interior, or where it is desired to obtain the'maximum ventilation without exposing the interior ofy a room or ward rto the view of persons passing along-an adjoining corridor, as in a hospital. Usually there are now provided movable and foldable screens for this purpose 'which are set up as occasion demandsy across open doorways or the like, rbut these are inherently unstable and unsatisfactory, and are oftentimes "blown down, disarranged or otherwise rendered ineffective. Furthermore, screens of this type are `es` sentially fragile, difficult to clean and there- "by unsightly and unsanitary, and are generally a poor make-shift for the purpose for which they are designed. My screen on the other hand contemplates the Vprovision of a frame which is positively, but removably, attached to a doorway, or the like, and the closure therefore; and which is expansible with the closure whereby to completely obstruct the view through` the doorway, or the like, at all times. Furthermore, my screen or curtain, per se, may be readily detached from the frame and washed, repaired, or replaced: or whenit is desired to dispense with the screen it may be removed without disturbing the frame therefore, in which case the frame may be Application led April 3, 19723. Serial No. 629,580.

utilized simply to limit the movement of the closure. n Other and equally important objects of my invention, though more briefly stated, may be defined as: Erst, to provide a screen or curtain which may be quickly applied to conventional doorways or the like; second, vto provide a screen or curtain which may be removed from its supporting frame when'worn and replaced'at small cost, and one rwhich may be formed of any suitable fabric, although a washable fabric is desirable for sanitary purposes: third, to pro-vv vide a frame for the screen or curtain which may be manufactured '1n quantities from standard stock at comparatively small cost,

thereby adapting the device `to general vdistribution upon the market; fourth, to form my frame of relatively few parts, and these of vsimple construction vand arrangement, thus eliminating the necessity of employing skilled labor in its application or adjust.

ment; fifth, to provide a screen or curtain, per se, which may be fabricated by any person possessed of even a slight knowledge of layout and needlework,'thereby adapting it for usage upon a large scale in hospitals, apartment houses, hotels, andthe like and; sixth, to so arrange the parts ofmy device that when the door, or the like, is closed the screen will bevfold'ed up automatically into a small and compact object.

The vstructural elements employed Vto accomplish the above and other results and objects will be hereinafter more fully described in detail and specifically pointed out inthe claims appended hereto and forminga part of this specification. Y Y

Infthe accompanying drawings wherein are illustrated two embodiments of my invention:-

Figure 1, is a View of the frame used with my invention shown as applied to a conventional door way the screen being shown in dotted lines, and A Y c Figure 2, is a top plan view of my frame applied, with the same shown in closed position in dotted lines; the position of my link both in the open and closed position is also shown in this view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in perspective showing the manner of slidably and pivotally mounting the frame on the suport. p Like characters of reference designate like or similar parts throughout the several views of the-drawings, in which A conventional door, and frame therefore, are designated by the letters (A) and (B) respectively.

lThe screen or curtain is designated by (D) and is fabricated of any suitable material. The curtain is foldable and eXtensible with the frame so that a door or other closure upon which my invention is applied may be opened without exposing the interior, and furthermore the curtain being readily detachable andreplaceable, it may be taken down, cleaned or repaired with little labor or expense.

The body of the frame for supporting the screen is formed with upper and lower horizontal rails (19) and (20) which are connected at a point adjacent their ends by vertical bars `(21). The upperV rail (19) has one of its ends twisted as at (22) and pivotally connected by a link (23) to the pintle (24) of a bracket (25) secured to the door (A). The opposite end of the rail (19) and the corresponding end of Vt-he rail (20) are bent at right angles as at (26) and provided with openings through which the rods (27) of the support for the frame are mounted.

The rods are mounted on brackets (28)V attached to the wall of a room adjacent the door frame, or to adjacent door frames, and the' frame is freely slidable thereon. The upper rail (19) and the link (23) have mounted thereon studs (29) upon which a curtain, Vsuch 'as has hereinbefore been described, is hung.

In operation, whenthe door or other closure is opened the link first swings in a semicircle, after which the frame is drawn to a position across the intervening space to dispose the curtain across the doorway. When the door is closed the link swings back in a semi-circle after which the frame follows to a position of rest, with the curtain folded up as in the preferred form of my inventon, or disposed substantially flat against the wall adjoining the door frame as in the modified form. Attention is here directed to the fact that while my invention is described as applied to a door, it may be applied wth equal advantage to any form of swinging closure. While in the foregoing, there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to emphasize the fact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention and its objects with such attention to detail as will thoroughly acquaint one skilled in the art with its construction and advantages, I claim 1. A screen for swinging closures comprising a support, a frame formed with spaced, horizontal and vertical members, the ends of each of the horizontal members adjacent the support being formed with openings through which the support is loosely engaged to permit slidable and pivotal movement 'ofthe frame relative the support, a link Vpivotally connected with the remaining end of the uppermost horizontal frame member, and said link beingvpivotally connected with the closure and adapted to fold Vupon the frame upon movement of the clo sure to a closed position. Y 2. A screen for swinging closures comprising a support, a frame formed with spaced, relatively parallel horizontal and vertical members, the ends of eachl of the horizontal membersk adjacent the support being bent substantially at right angles and formed with openings through which the support is looselyl engaged to permit slidable and pivotal movement 'of the frame relative the support, a link pivotally connected with the remaining end ofthe uppermost horizontal kframe member, and said link being pivotally connected with the closure and adapted to fold upon the frame upon movement of the closure to a closed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto. .Y .Y f BENJAMIN KGLER. 

